Catfish and Shrimp
by Fanficer Lore
Summary: The Doctor & Rose visit a beautiful planet filled with coral & strange creatures. A trip to the 9th Planet of Earth's solar system, years into the future. Questions need answering though. Planet or asteroid? Where are the people? 1st DWfic! please R&R?
1. Catfish & Shrimp

**Catfish and Shrimp**

**Summary**: The Doctor & Rose visit a special, beautiful planet filled with coral and strange creatures. A trip to the 9th Planet of Earth's solar system, 3,000 years into the future. Many questions need to be answered though, like why does the catfish have a Northern accent? And have the Internationl Astronomical Union made up it's mind about the fate of the planet's title?

**Notes: ** The stuff about Pluto is actually based on fact! I've been watching the Science Channel lately, and they had this thing on Pluto – about whether or not Pluto should really be considered a planet. The Pluto Underground, and International Astronomical Union is actually a real thing.

This originally started as a 100 word drabble for dw100. I have about 5 pages written so far, so more chapters to come soon. Please let me know what you make of it? I was really excited to write a story that'd be an all around Doctor Who adventure, staying true to the show and characters. So I hope I've done that, and of course to be sure that I did, you guys need to tell me. :)

Slightly revised. Thanks for your helpful review, Angels. :)

**Spoiler Warning: ** For the end of the series 2 episode, "Age of Steel".

**Disclaimer: ** BBC owns Doctor Who... And I only wish I could be as clever as RTD.

* * *

"Where we going now?" Rose asked, like she'd often asked before, but this time cheerfulness was missing. Little time had passed since Mickey stayed behind & she missed him. Would take more than a cup of tea to fix things.

"You'll see." The Doctor grinned mischievously and moments later they landed. With a bounce in his step, he made his way over to the door. "After you?"

Rose stepped outside, glancing at him - a sparkle reappearing in her eyes.

It was the most beautiful world. Dazzling, blue water surrounded them, accompanied by a faint, mysterious glow. Two layers of thick glass windows and reinforced flat, steel beams was all that kept the massive body of water from crashing in. There was no sunlight, yet the bottom surface was bright and bustling with activity. Then there was the coral. In various shades of pink and blue, large and small, it decorated almost every acre of the ocean floor.

"_Cat_fish. Fish with cat heads!" Rose pointed at the mutant fish. It had a golden body, long and covered in a mixed pattern of tabby and black spots. The ends of the furry coat dangled loosely in the water, slowly swishing back and forth as it swam. Despite the feline head... In every aspect, it looked like a fish with gills and dorsel fins minus the scales.

"You should see the shrimp." He mumbled while closing the TARDIS doors. He surveyed the large circular room, taking note of where his ship was parked. "Quite _strange_. And bigger than those catfish there. Catfish – ironic really."

A blue grey, miniature dolphin-like creature appeared from behind a big piece of coral. The mammal blended in well with its surroundings, pink like the coral it came out from. Once out in the open, it became crystal clear like Queen Victoria's diamond. The creature was barely visible now, if at all.

Rose ran up to the glass, leaning with her hands against the glass like a curious and excited child. She exclaimed, "This is amazing, Doctor!"

"Knew you'd like it." He nodded and smiled approvingly of himself. This is just what his companion needed.

"What's this place called?" Rose continued watching the mini dolphin swim about.

"If my memory serves me correctly, this would be the Underwater Museum of Planet Pluto."

"Planet Pluto. We're on _the _Pluto? I thought it was all covered in ice. What year are have we gone to?"

He continued talking; not even hearing her words, so lost in his own train of thought. "Or maybe not planet Pluto," he scratched his head, squinting his eyes. "Just Pluto? Hmm. Could be that the International Astronomical Union haven't made up their minds yet. _And _of course they can't do that until they figure out what the definition of a planet really is."

"Doctor, what are you on about?" Rose asked.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." He cleared his throat. Moving on. "This is Pluto 3,000 years into the future. The one planet in Earth's solar system to have it's own activist organization. The Pluto Underground. There was this ongoing debate about whether or not Pluto should actually be called a planet. All because it was discovered to be within an asteroid belt. Some museums don't even feature the planet in their exhibits."

"So we're on Pluto in the future and this," Rose raised her eyebrows. "is a museum..."

"Yeeaah, right in the core of it."

"So technically this place is an aquarium." She walked several feet to the right, her hand gliding noisely across the glass causing the Doctor to flinch.

"Well... Yeah. They built this place about a hundred feet below the planet's surface. Suppose it's NASA's way of making up for ignoring it so long. We're not even that far down. Pluto's a _tiny tiny _tiny planet, so tiny it's even -"

"Smaller than the United States." She smiled up at him, amused by the surprised expression. And maybe even a little proud that'd she finished his sentence.

"How'd you know about that?"

"Oh c'mon Doctor. It's PLUTO!" She exclaimed. "It's everybody's favorite planet. Don't you think I haven't been following up on what's been going on down there," she pointed downward as if pointing at the Earth. "I remember hearing about this exhibit in NYC, some head man way up there decided to leave Pluto out of the exhibit and tons of people freaked out. 'Specially the kids."

"Ah yes. Forgot how fond you humans were of your tiny little planet." The Doctor grinned. "Just didn't know you were one of those too."

"One of what?"

"A Pluto lover." He grinned and they began their exploration, walking down a glass tunnel.


	2. Asteroid or Planet

**Disclaimer: ** BBC owns Doctor Who... And I only wish I could be as clever as RTD.

_Thanks for your review Angels. Throughout the other chapters, I've been keeping it in mind, paying attention to better descriptions._

_

* * *

_

"Where are all the people?" Rose asked, turning to face the Doctor. "It's a museum, so there should be people checkin' out the exhibits. We've passed hall after hall and room after room, but no one. That's strange yeah?"

The Doctor scanned the area for any signs of recent activity. They were in a fairly large room again. Also circular, however much larger than the one they arrived in. He noticed how there were various glass tunnels going in every other direction whereas the first room they'd been in only had one tunnel connected to it.

This must be the center of the museum. To the right of their entrance, stood two ticket kiosks along with a small section devoted to tour maps, time schedules, and the like. Every so often they came across a gold stand with the information plaque depicting information about the creatures housed in the facility.

"I don't know. Perhaps it's not open hours." He glanced at his watch, "It is nighttime afterall."

---

---

They were walking peacefully for a while; talking and laughing about past adventures, when out of the corner of Rose's eye a catfish swam passed them right beneath her feet. She automatically jumped and grabbed onto The Doctor as if holding on for dear life. Her heart skipped a beat. "Oh my god! Doctor!"

"What? What's wrong?" His voice was firm as he looked deeply into her eyes and held onto her arms.

"A thing - a catfish swam right underneath us and you ask me what's wrong!" She shouted, fright still showing in her eyes. "You telling me ya didn't notice..."

"OH. That. Sorry, I thought you noticed the glass floor." He smiled reassuringly at her. "It won't break though, I promise. Cross my hearts."

"It's alright," she sighed, "Guess I should've noticed. Odd. I mean, I coulda sworn I looked at the ground, but it just didn't register."

"The mind can do that. It's like the police box – Put a blue box on the street and no one will notice. It's just there like this glass floor."

Rose suddenly sighed, looking down at the floor. The Doctor didn't need to see her face to know that the sad dullness had returned. Because he could feel it within. He squeezed her hand for a moment. Then he turned away and said softly, "Something's bothering you."

"It's Mickey." Rose pulled out her phone and stared at it; her tongue, poking out the side of her mouth. "I'm just having a hard time getting over the fact that I can't ever call him or see him again. He's in this parallel world... I can't believe he chose to stay there. To leave me. Off on his own." She took in a trouble breath. "And with those Cybermen still out there."

"I wish there was a way to get communications up between both worlds, so you could at least call. But I can't, and I'm sorry. You've got to move on though." The Doctor's voice was calming, a mix of sympathy and firmness.

"I know... It's just hard. S'pose it just takes time. Well, at least he's out there making a difference." She smiled.

The Doctor smiled back. "He is."

* * *

After several more tunnels and passing a couple of small rooms, there was a sign which read, "Food Service Platform". They turned right, and entered an archway that lead them straight into a great big kitchen. It had all the latest equipment – state of the art technology. Everything stood firmly in place, slender and shiny. 

Rose sniffed and sniffed. She looked passed the Doctor and sniffed some more. "Something smells - warm - like someone was just cooking in here."

The Doctor walked over to an oven and touched it lightly. "Oven's warm."

"I wonder if there are chips frozen somewhere!" Rose grinned and the Doctor half rolled his eyes at her. "_What_?" she chuckled.

"You and your chips."

"Oi! You like 'em too!" She smirked and wagged her finger at him.

"Well, if you're hungry then I suppose we should find something to eat. Certainly don't want a grumpy Rose on my hands." He crossed his fingers and grinned. "Well, here's to hoping they've got chips."

Together they eagerly raided all the cabinets, refridgerators and freezers. Most of the cabinets were either completely empty or stocked with worn out china sets. There was one freezer door in particular that was locked. Rose eyed it curiously, wondering why only one of the freezers were locked. She called the Doctor over and he unlocked it with the sonic screwdriver.

"And now, ladies and gents... Brace yourselves. Behind door number one..." The Doctor announced and as the door slowly opened, Rose's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Chips!" Rose yelled as she jumped up and down, clapping her hands. The freezer was filled with many bags. She grabbed one and eyed it hungrily, practically devouring them with her eyes. "To the oven Doctor!"

Thirty minutes later, they were in the room next to the kitchen enjoying fresh, hot chips. Nothing in the world could disturb them now.

"It's weird," the Doctor began, but instead stopped to take a bite.

Rose mumbled, "Who keeps _chips_ locked in a _freezer_?"

"Exactly." He agreed and returned to his original position - his chin resting in the palm of his hand, and elbow on the table. "They sure are possessive of them. _3,000_ years into the future and humans still don't like to share. Amazing."

"Can't really blame 'em though. These are some damn fine chips."

"Indeed." He said, while polishing off the last of his companion's chips.

"Oi!" Rose shouted, watching helplessly as he ate her last one.

"C'mon..." The Doctor wiped off his hands. "We've gotta see what else we can find. There must be something. People don't just disappear without a trace."

Rose got up. "Maybe they all just left."

"I don't think so."

---

---

Later, they were wandering down another glass tunnel when the Doctor suddenly pointed at something in the water and yelled out, "Oh, Rose look! Over there."

Her eyes followed the direction he was pointing. She didn't see anything right away. It took a couple seconds before she saw a sudden yellow glow, and just as she did it was gone. But when the glow had shown, she also caught sight of a small piece of coral moving. And there it was again, a piece of coral, crawling around the ocean floor. It was emitting a yellow glow off and on. "A Coraglow crab!" He declared, excitedly. "The next stage of evolution for the crab."

"That's so cool." Rose laughed. "Are all the creatures here from Earth?"

"Most of them yeah. Some of them have been brought from other worlds."

She sighed, "I never get tired of this Doctor."

While the Doctor is fascinated with the glowing crab Rose notices something else paculiar. A rather large catfish was approaching their tunnel. "Doctor... that catfish is heading right for us."

He looked up. "Hmm, it is..."

"So we should probably go back to the TARDIS, like _right_ now." A beat. "Doctor!"

"Hold on. I don't think it's gonna crash into us. Just a feeling."

Like the Doctor thought, the catfish stopped a few feet short of the glass. It was floating in front of them, just staring – its ears twitching back and forth. Now that it was up close, they could see it's head more clearly and see that unlike its body, the fur was all tabby.

"Hello," a deep, northern voice said.

"Was that coming from..." Rose pointed at the catfish. The Doctor nodded. "This better not be New Earth all over again."

Slowly, the Doctor spoke to the creature. "Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. What are you called?"

It meowed. "..."

"A name?" A beat. "Do you know what happened here?" Nothing. The Doctor sighed.

Again it meowed.

"Limited on the speech I see. Shouldn't come as a surprise. I take that as a yes? Yes. Did you see what happened here? Oh, you probably don't even understand me."

Rose thought it was amazing at first, to see a catfish that actually looked like a cat, but then it talked. After those cat nurses, meeting another talking feline was a bit too much to handle. Even if it did seem very friendly and maybe even a bit cute. She took one more look at the catfish and turned around, heading back towards the kitchen.

When she was nearing the kitchen entrance, she passed a closed door with a light shining through. A light which hadn't been on before. Cautiously she poked her head inside the door to find an empty room. Who turned on the light?

Rose took a few steps inside. It wasn't very large room, she noticed. In the center of the room there was a short podium with a gold plague resting on top. In black letters, it read, "**Generator** - Asteroid Pluto - Underwater Museum of Planet Pluto – Founded by The Pluto Underground in 2,998". _Generator_, the word ran through her mind. This room must have something to do with the power source or is the power source. After all, the power had to be coming from somewhere. "Wait a tick – **asteroid** Pluto." She said out loud. "I can't believe it. Wait till the Doctor hears about this."

She made a move to turn around and then stopped. Straight across from her, was a black metal door with silver bolts along the edges. Doubtful that it'd be unlocked considering how confidential it looked, but it was worth a shot to at least attempt to open it. So she gave the knob a few quick, forceful turns and yanked hard. Rose rolled her eyes. Of course it wouldn't open.

She'd have to hurry back and get the Doctor.


End file.
